Damper mounting structure

Abstract

A damper mounting structure is provided with a top buffer member and a bottom buffer member. The bottom buffer member has a protruding section that protrudes with an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the bottom buffer member. The damper mounting structure mates with the protruding section and is anchored to a vehicle body panel, and is provided with a collar formed at substantially the same height as the height of the protruding section. The corner of an opening formed on the vehicle body panel, which comes into contact with the top buffer member, is chamfered.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A damper mount structure comprising:
 a rod of a damper of a suspension system, the rod having an end portion; 
 a vehicular body panel having an opening portion, the end portion of the rod being inserted through and fastened to the opening portion; 
 an upper stationary disk facing toward an upper surface of the vehicular body panel and subjected to a pressure of a nut screwed onto the end portion of the rod; 
 a lower stationary disk facing toward a lower surface of the vehicular body panel and opposed to the upper stationary disk with the vehicular body panel interposed between the upper stationary disk and the lower stationary disk; 
 an annular upper damping member contacting the vehicular body panel and compressed by the upper stationary disk, the end portion of the rod fitting through the annular upper damper; 
 an annular lower damping member disposed between the vehicular body panel and the lower stationary disk in contact with the lower stationary disk; 
 an annular projection protruding from one of the upper damping member and the lower damping member toward the other one of the upper damping member and the lower damping member, the projection having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the one of the upper damping member and the lower damping member; and 
 a collar having an inner circumferential surface fitting around an outer circumferential surface of the projection in such a manner as to contact the outer circumferential surface, the collar having one end surface and an opposite end surface, the one end surface being contiguous with the inner circumferential surface and fixed to the vehicular body panel, the collar having a height from the opposite end surface to the one end surface, the height of the collar being substantially equal to a height of the projection; and 
 the opening portion of the vehicular body panel contacting the other one of the upper damping member and the lower damping member and having a beveled corner. 
 
     
     
       2. The damper mount structure of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicular body panel has a lower surface facing downwardly of a vehicle,
 wherein the projection is formed on the lower damping member, 
 wherein the collar is integrally fixed to the lower surface of the vehicular body panel, and 
 wherein the beveled corner is contiguous with the upper surface of the vehicular body panel and faces toward the upper damping member. 
 
     
     
       3. The damper mount structure of  claim 2 , wherein the vehicular body panel comprises a damper base contiguous with a vehicular body, and a damper stiffener overlying the damper base and contacting the upper damping member, the damper mount structure further comprising a watertight sealer interposed between the collar and the damper base, the collar being fixed to the damper base by projection welding. 
     
     
       4. The damper mount structure of  claim 3 , wherein the damper stiffener is joined to the damper base by adhesives. 
     
     
       5. The damper mount structure of  claim 2 , wherein the upper damping member and the lower damping member are made from urethane rubber. 
     
     
       6. The damper mount structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a rubber cover covering the lower damping member and the projection, the rubber cover being interposed between the collar and the lower damping member and between the collar and the projection. 
     
     
       7. The damper mount structure of  claim 6 , further comprising a water entry preventing mechanism formed between the collar and the rubber cover for preventing entry of water from an underside of a vehicle, the mechanism including a rib formed on one of the collar and the rubber cover and a groove formed on the other one of the collar and the rubber cover and receiving the rib in close contact with the rib. 
     
     
       8. The damper mount structure of  claim 7 , wherein the vehicular body panel comprises a damper base contiguous with a vehicular body, and a damper stiffener overlying the damper base and contacting the upper damping member, the damper mount structure further comprising a watertight sealer interposed between the collar and the damper base, the collar being fixed to the damper base by projection welding. 
     
     
       9. The damper mount structure of  claim 8 , wherein the damper stiffener is joined to the damper base by adhesives. 
     
     
       10. The damper mount structure of  claim 7 , wherein the upper damping member and the lower damping member are made from urethane rubber. 
     
     
       11. The damper mount structure of  claim 6 , wherein the vehicular body panel comprises a damper base contiguous with a vehicular body, and a damper stiffener overlying the damper base and contacting the upper damping member, the damper mount structure further comprising a watertight sealer interposed between the collar and the damper base, the collar being fixed to the damper base by projection welding. 
     
     
       12. The damper mount structure of  claim 11 , wherein the damper stiffener is joined to the damper base by adhesives. 
     
     
       13. The damper mount structure of  claim 6 , wherein the upper damping member and the lower damping member are made from urethane rubber. 
     
     
       14. The damper mount structure of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicular body panel comprises a damper base contiguous with a vehicular body, and a damper stiffener overlying the damper base and contacting the upper damping member, the damper mount structure further comprising a watertight sealer interposed between the collar and the damper base, the collar being fixed to the damper base by projection welding. 
     
     
       15. The damper mount structure of  claim 14 , wherein the damper stiffener is joined to the damper base by adhesives. 
     
     
       16. The damper mount structure of  claim 15 , wherein the upper damping member and the lower damping member are made from urethane rubber. 
     
     
       17. The damper mount structure of  claim 14 , wherein the upper damping member and the lower damping member are made from urethane rubber. 
     
     
       18. The damper mount structure of  claim 1 , wherein the upper damping member and the lower damping member are made from urethane rubber.